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REPORTS. 

CONCERNING  THE  WISTAR  INSTITUTE  OF  ANATOMY. 

On  Monday,  March  4,  the  Board  of  Managers  of  the  Wistar  Institute 
of  Anatomy  held  its  annual  meeting  to  consider  the  work  of  the  year 
just  closed  and  to  approve  plans  for  the  year  1907. 

As  the  principal  aim  of  the  Institute  is  to  serve  the  science  of  anatomy 
it  may  be  of  interest  to  present  here  a  brief  excerpt  from  the  Director’s 
report,  which  reviewed  the  essential  points  of  the  year’s  activities,  gave 
a  full  statement  of  the  Institute’s  finances  and  suggested  plans  for  the 
future. 

The  general  plan  of  the  Institute,  outlined  early  in  1905,  was  to 
organize  an  Advisory  Board  of  Anatomists,  which  should  be  representa¬ 
tive  of  the  active  research  anatomists  of  the  country,  and  by  the  assist¬ 
ance  of  such  a  Board  to  determine  from  time  to  time  the  details  of  a 
plan  which  would  enable  the  Wistar  Institute,  with  is  modest  but  steadily 
increasing  endowment,  to  render  the  greatest  aid  to  the  science  of 
anatomy.  The  plan  further  contemplated  the  organization  of  a  local 
scientific  staff,  the  assembling  of  such  laboratory  equipment  as  would 
1  be  required,  not  only  in  the  ordinary  research  work  of  the  Institute,  but 
also  from  time  to  time  in  extraordinary  researches  originating  here  or 
elsewhere,  and  the  constant  addition  to  the  museum  of  materials  of 
actual  scientific  value. 

The  plan  met  with  the  approval  of  those  anatomists  who  were  consulted. 

The  Advisory  Board  at  its  first  meeting  prepared  definite  suggestions 
for  the  establishment  of  a  local  research  staff  and  for  placing  the  Institute 
in  the  proper  relation  to  research  anatomy. 

^  The  following  committees  were  appointed : 

On  Neurology  and  the  Establishment  of  Relations  with  the  Interna¬ 
tional  Association  of  Academies:  Dr  H.  H.  Donaldson,  Chairman;  Dr. 
L.  F.  Barker,  Dr.  F.  P.  Mall,  Dr.  J.  P.  McMurrich,  Dr.  C.  S.  Minot. 

On  the  relations  of  the  Wistar  Institute  to  American  Anatomists :  Prof. 
S.  H.  Gage,  Chairman;  Dr.  G.  Carl  Huber,  Dr.  G.  A.  Piersol. 

On  Comparative  Anatomy  and  Embryology:  Dr.  G.  S.  Huntington, 
Chairman;  Dr.  E.  G.  Conklin,  Dr.  F.  P.  Mall. 

p  z  a  z  s  o 


120 


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June  1 ,  ’07. 


Aside  from  the  routine  duties  in  connection  with  a  public  museum 
almost  the  entire  year  1905  was  spent  in  developing  the  plans  suggested. 

At  the  beginning  of  1906,  the  records  of  which  we  have  just  officially 
closed,  the  Institute  secured  as  its  research  chief  in  neurology  Dr.  Henry 
H.  Donaldson  and  the  real  work  was  begun.  Later  in  the  year  the  scien¬ 
tific  staff  was  augumented  by  the  election  of  Dr.  George  L.  Streeter  and 
Dr.  S.  Hatai  as  Associates  in  Neurology,  making  a  total  of  seven  on 
the  staff. 

The  internal  readjustment  of  the  affairs  of  the  Institute  and  the  equip¬ 
ment  of  the  laboratories  have  progressed  steadily  during  the  year. 

In  April,  1906,  the  second  meeting  of  the  Advisory  Board  was  called, 
and  the  results  of  their  discussion  are  briefly  set  forth  in  the  following 
suggestions : 

1.  That  the  Institute  initiate  a  study  of  racial  anatomy  of  the  brain 
and  cooperate  with  foreign  institutes  to  secures  brains  of  other  races. 

2.  That  the  Neurological  Committee  be  requested  to  consider  means  for 
the  further  organization  of  neurological  workers  in  this  country. 

3.  That  it  be  recommended  to  develop  a  staff  of  expert  laboratory 
assistants,  such  as  draughtsmen,  modelers,  and  technicians,  to  facilitate 
the  mechanical  work  of  research. 

4.  That  investigators  be  admitted  from  time  to  time  by  the  Director 
to  the  full  advantages  of  the  laboratories  as  guests  for  such  periods  as 
may  be  determined  upon. 

5.  That  whenever  opportunity  offers  of  obtaining  specially  desirable 
material  for  the  study  of  comparative  anatomy  and  embryology  this 
should  be  secured  and  preserved  for  future  use. 

Of  suggestion  No.  1  our  report  will  show  an  addition  to  our  collection 
of  77  human  brains,  representing  the  racial  anatomy  of  this  organ.  Nine 
of  these  specimens  are  worthy  of  special  mention,  but  for  obvious  reasons 
their  identity  must  be  withheld.  This  is  an  important  part  of  our 
work,  and  the  large  number  collected  during  the  year  is  due  primarily 
to  our  relations  with  other  institutions.  The  collection  of  human  brains 
representing  race  types  is  perhaps  one  of  our  most  important  and 
immediate  duties  as  a  museum,  for  this  will  be  impossible  in  the  not  very 
distant  future. 

Concerning  recommendation  No.  2,  it  may  be  said  that  the  Neurological 
Committee  has  made  progress.  Its  work  is  not  yet  completed  and  cannot 
be  reported  in  full.  xAn  effort  is  being  made  to  connect  our  Institute 
with  other  institutions  which  will  furnish  opportunities  for  clinical  work 
and  the  collection  of  another  class  of  material. 


June  1 ,  '0 7. 


The  Anatomical  Eecord 


121 


Recommendation  No.  3  is  perhaps  one  of  the  most  important  for  the 
success  of  onr  laboratory  and  can  be  carried  ont  when  our  income  is 
augmented  or  when  we  are  able  to  economize  in  some  other  direction. 

To  make  our  facilities  complete  and  satisfactory  we  must  have  labora¬ 
tory  assistants,  draughtsmen,  modelers,  and  technicians  as  recommended. 
It  is  just  here  that  most  laboratories  are  weak  and  are  unable  to  furnish 
the  investigator  with  that  perfection  of  apparatus  and  technical  assistance 
which  will  enable  him  to  complete  his  researches.  This  part  of  our 
force  will  be  developed  as  rapidly  as  possible.  It  must  be  said,  however, 
that  such  equipment  should  come  slowly  as  the  work  demands  it,  other¬ 
wise  there  will  be  a  useless  waste  of  energy  and  funds. 

Investigators  are  admitted  to  our  laboratories  as  proposed  in  recom¬ 
mendation  No.  4.  A  number  have  availed  themselves  of  the  opportunity 
during  the  year. 

Concerning  recommendation  No.  5  it  may  be  said  that  we  have  collected 
and  stored  material  for  comparative  anatomy  whenever  the  opportunity 
presented  itself.  The  museum  is  especially  rich  in  certain  lines  and  some 
of  this  material  has  been  sent  to  investigators  in  other  laboratories. 

As  a  result  of  our  effort  to  create  here  a  Central  Anatomical  Institute 
and  of  our  decision  to  follow  neurology  for  the  present  as  our  major 
subject  we  received,  in  February,  from  the  Central  Commission  for  Brain 
Investigation,  through  the  Imperial  Academy  of  Sciences  at  Vienna,  a 
formal  recognition  of  the  Wistar  Institute  as  an  international  central 
institute  for  brain  research  in  America.  Hereafter  all  work  in  America 
in  cooperation  with  the  Central  Brain  Commission  may  be  communicated 
through  the  Wistar  Institute. 

In  May  a  meeting  of  this  Commission  was  held  in  Vienna.  Professor 
Donaldson,  as  a  member  and  the  Director  of  the  Institute,  by  special  invi¬ 
tation,  attended  this  meeting.  The  actions  of  this  Commission,  soon  to 
be  published  by  Professor  Waldeyer,  will  be  of  interest  to  neurologists. 

Naturally  our  museum  growth  has  been  greatest  in  neurological 
material,  and  while  not  great  in  numbers  every  specimen  is  significant. 
In  the  museum  catalogue  during  the  year  148  entries  have  been  made, 
comprising  27  series  of  neurological  preparations  containing  2568  slides; 
23  series  of  shad  embryos,  6  reconstructions  of  the  developing  shad's 
heart,  2  models  of  embryo  shad  (the  series  of  embryos,  reconstructions 
and  models  all  belonging  to  one  research),  and  77  human  brains  of  special 
value  and  interest,  the  remaining  entries  consist  of  a  variety  of  anatomical 
material.  Of  the  human  brains  received  63  were  negro  brains  presented 


The  Anatomical  Record. — No.  5. 


122 


The  Anatomical  Record 


June  1,  ’ 07 . 


by  Professor  Franklin  P.  Mall,  of  Johns  Hopkins  University.  They 
represent  a  series  which  has  been  carefully  studied  for  certain  race 
characteristics  (American  Journal  of  Anatomy,  Yol.  V,  Ho.  4,)  and 
are  now  held  for  future  investigations  on  the  brain  of  this  race.  Nine 
brains  of  special  individual  interest  have  been  received  during  the  year. 
In  addition  to  these  the  museum  has  acquired  a  number  of  special 
preparations  presenting  normal  human  anatomy,  which  add  to  the  attrac¬ 
tiveness  of  this  part  of  the  museum,  though  they  are  not  of  special 
research  significance. 

The  equipment  of  the  laboratories  has  required  no  small  amount  of 
attention.  Such  apparatus  as  may  be  purchased  in  the  markets  has  been 
supplied.  The  best  forms  of  Zeiss  microscopes,  photographic  lenses,  the 
newest  types  of  microtomes,  and  the  many  other  appliances  which  go  to 
make  up  a  laboratory  equipment  have  been  furnished. 

Among  the  special  devices  which  have  been  built  in  our  own  shop  may 
be  mentioned  the  projection  and  photomicrographic  apparatus.  This 
instrument  is  designed  to  meet  the  requirements  of  the  anatomical  labora¬ 
tory  where  drawing  or  photographs  from  sections  or  other  objects  may  be 
required  and  obtained  with  the  least  possible  effort  and  minimum  amount 
of  time,  or  where  the  object  may  be  studied  directly  and  measurements 
made  by  means  of  this  apparatus  without  the  photographic  processes. 
The  apparatus  is  always  in  working  order,  no  rearrangement  of  cumber¬ 
some  pieces  being  necessary  to  operate  it.  The  apparatus  is  mounted  in 
a  dark  room,  with  a  developing  room  adjoining,  directly  in  one  of  our 
main  laboratories  so  that  the  work  of  preserving,  preparing,  and  photo¬ 
graphing  or  drawing  a  specimen  may  be  done  on  the  same  floor  within  a 
radius  of  a  few  feet. 

Although  we  now  have  two  large  microtomes  the  reconstruction  of  a 
new  brain-cutting  microtome  for  much  finer  and  better  work  is  under¬ 
way.  This  will  add  to  our  facilities  for  producing  valuable  series  of 
brain  sections. 

As  anatomy  has  been  studied  by  the  various  mechanical  means  of 
analyses  there  now  remains  the  chemical  means  of  attack.  For  this 
purpose  the  Institute  has  recently  equipped  a  bio-chemic  laboratory 
supplied  with  all  the  necessary  apparatus,  much  of  which  was  constructed 
in  our  own  shop.  I  mention  in  some  detail  these  bits  of  special  equip¬ 
ment  to  emphasize  the  fact  that  our  shop  facilities  make  it  possible  to 
supply  any  apparatus  which  cannot  be  purchased  in  the  market  but 
which  may  be  demanded  for  special  research  work. 

Concerning  library  facilities  it  is  not  necessary  for  me  to  say  that 


June  1,  * 07 . 


The  Anatomical  Record 


123 


Philadelphia  is  uneqnaled  in  this  respect,  the  magnificent  library  of  the 
Academy  of  Natural  Sciences,  of  the  American  Philosophical  Society,  of 
the  College  of  Physicians,  and  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  not  to 
mention  a  number  of  other  large  libraries  are  all  accessible  to  the  mem¬ 
bers  of  our  laboratory.  Of  the  Institute’s  library  it  may  be  said  that  here 
are  to  be  found  all  the  principal  journals  and  reference  books  required 
in  anatomical  work.  This  year  46  new  volumes  were  added  to  our  library, 
making  a  total  to  date  of  1486  bound  volumes.  We  have  received  41 
periodicals  and  14  books  issued  in  parts,  55  in  all.  The  reprints  have  all 
been  carefully  catalogued  under  both  author  and  subject. 

One  of  our  most  important  accessions  is,  perhaps,  a  complete  set  of 
the  bibliography  cards  relating  to  microscopy,  physiology,  and  anatomy, 
issued  by  the  Concilium  Bibliographicum.  They  are  divided  as  follows : 
Microscopy,  3230  cards;  physiology,  16,098  cards,  and  anatomy,  28,056 
cards,  making  a  total  of  47,384  cards  correctly  filed  and  accessible.  These 
cards  represent  bibliographical  data  in  the  three  subjects  named  from 
1898  to  date,  excepting  in  physiology,  in  which  branch  the  publication  was 
discontinued  from  1899  to  1904,  but  was  resumed  in  1905.  This  set  of 
cards  of  the  Concilium  Bibliographicum  is,  I  believe  ,the  only  set  in  Phila¬ 
delphia,  and  is,  of  course,  open  to  anyone  who  may  desire  to  use  it. 

While  every  book  has  been  accessioned,  I  regret  to  say  that  on  account 
of  lack  of  time  we  have  been  unable  to  complete  our  card  catalogue  of  the 
library.  This  will  be  taken  up  during  the  summer  months  when  there 
are  less  demands  from  other  directions  upon  the  time  of  the  librarian. 

The  neurological  library  belonging  to  Professor  H.  H.  Donaldson  has 
been  placed  in  the  Institute  for  the  use  of  investigators  in  the  laboratories. 
The  library  consists  of  more  than  1000  bound  volumes  and  4000  re¬ 
prints  and  subscribes  to  14  scientific  journals.  It  forms  a  most  valuable 
acquisition  to  our  working  equipment. 

In  this  connection  I  must  also  mention  the  very  valuable  library,  con¬ 
sisting  of  some  4000  volumes,  largely  scientific,  willed  to  the  Institute 
by  General  Wistar  and  which  has  been  placed  in  dust-proof  cases  in  a 
specially  prepared  room  at  the  Institute. 

It  is  with  pardonable  pride  that  I  record  the  results  of  our  efforts  to 
establish  research  in  our  laboratories  and  make  our  museum  subservient 
thereto.  Investigations  for  the  present  are  directed  to  neurology,  and  the 
chief  resources  of  the  Institute  are  being  expended  to  develop  research 
in  this  department;  there  is  no  desire,  however,  or  effort  made  to  limit 
researches  to  this  field,  should  any  investigator  desire  to  pursue  in  our 


124 


The  Anatomical  Record 


June  1,  ’0 7. 


laboratories  investigations  in  any  other  field.  In  neurology,  under  the 
direction  of  Professor  Donaldson,  some  fourteen  pieces  of  research  are 
underway  in  our  own  laboratory  while  a  number  of  others  are  being 
prosecuted  elsewhere,  also  under  Professor  Donaldson’s  direction. 

In  pursuing  researches  in  neurology  it  is  essential  to  have  an  abundant 
supply  of  fresh  material,  and  a  single  type  of  animal  tends  to  increase 
the  accuracy  of  deductions.  It  is  for  this  reason  that  we  have  established 
a  colony  of  Albino  rats  which  are  bred  to  a  standard  of  weight  and  size 
and  furnish  material  of  the  proper  kind.  This  colony  comprises  several 
hundred  animals.  In  addition  to  this  we  have  established  also  a  colony 
of  opossums  ( Didelpliys  virginiana)  the  only  representative  of  its  family 
in  America  and  presenting  an  extremely  interesting  anatomy  from  the 
neurological  and  embryological  standpoint.  These  two  forms  will  furnish 
abundant  material  of  its  kind  for  laboratory  use. 

Every  effort  will  be  made  to  strengthen  our  relations  with  other  labora¬ 
tories  and  to  assist  in  every  possible  way  in  promoting  researches  in 
anatomy.  To  this  end  we  have  attempted  to  take  the  most  liberal  view 
in  all  matters  relating  to  the  privileges  offered  by  the  Institute,  a  policy 
which  I  believe  will  tend  to  knit  together  in  the  closest  bonds  the  men 
who  are  so  unselfishly  devoting  their  lives  to  the  development  of  our 
science. 

A  number  of  men  have  availed  themselves  of  the  laboratory  privileges 
during  the  year  and  we  are  glad  to  say  that  there  is  always  room  and  the 
necessary  supplies  for  the  man  who  has  a  problem  to  solve  and  knows  how 
to  solve  it. 

At  their  recent  meeting  the  Board  of  Managers  of  the  Institute  took  a 
number  of  important  steps  for  the  promotion  of  our  work.  They 
authorized  the  Director  to  dispose  of  such  materials  of  the  museum  as 
have  only  taxonomic  interest  and  secure  in  lieu  thereof  materials  related 
more  properly  to  the  problem  of  the  Institute;  they  also  authorized  the 
support  of  a  research  room  at  the  Woods  Hole  Laboratory,  and  a  subven¬ 
tion  to  the  American  Journal  of  Anatomy.  The  Director  was  also 
authorized  to  make  such  arrangements  with  the  Graduate  School  of  the 
University  of  Pennsylvania  for  the  promotion  of  research  work  in 
anatomy  as  will  be  mutually  beneficial,  and  the  same  arrangements  and 
privileges  are  to  be  extended  to  other  universities  which  may  desire  to 
cooperate.  The  details  of  such  arrangements  will  be  considered  by  the 
Advisory  Board. 


M.  J.  Greenman. 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2017  with  funding  from 

University  of  Illinois  Urbana-Champaign  Alternates 


https://archive.org/details/concerningwistarOOgree 


THE  AMERICAN  JOURNAL  OF  ANATOMY. 


EDITORAIL  BOARD. 


CHARLES  R.  BARDEEN,  Univ.  of  Wisconsin. 
HENRY  H.  DONALDSON,  Wistar  Institute. 
THOMAS  DWIGHT,  .  Harvard  University. 
JOSEPH  MARSHALL  FLINT,  Univ.  of  Cal. 
SIMON  H.  GAGE,  .  .  .  Cornell  Univ. 

G.  CARL  HUBER,  .  .  Univ.  of  Mich. 


GEO.  S.  HUNTINGTON,  .  Columbia  Univ. 
FRANKLIN  P.  MALL,  Johns  Hopkins  Univ. 
J.  P.  McMURRICH,  .  .  Univ.  of  Mich. 

CHARLES  S.  MINOT,  .  .  Harvard  Univ. 

GEORGE  A.  P1ERSOL,  .  Univ.  of  Penna. 
H.  McE.  KNOWER,  Secretary, 

Johns  Hopkins  University % 


The  American  Journal  or  Anatomy  is  issued  in  quarterly  numbers,  each  number 
of  about  125  pages.  A  volume  of  four  numbers  will  contain  at  least  500  pages,  with  plates 
and  figures.  The  net  price  per  Current  volume,  Postage  Prepaid,  is :  To  subscribers  in  the 
United  States  and  Canada,  $5.00;  To  subscribers  in  other  countries,  $5.50.  Remit  direct  by 
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Circulars  giving  prices  of  back  volumes  and  special  rates  on  sets,  and  containing  the 
contents  of  Vols.  I,  II,  III,  IV,  V,  and  VI  will  be  supplied  free  to  applicants. 

This  Journal  is  the  official  organ  of  the  Association  oe  American  Anatomists. 

The  Anatomical  Record  will  contain  articles  of  the  special  character  indicated  in  the 
announcement  in  No.  1.  (In  back  of  Volume  VI,  No.  lf  of  this  Journal.) 

Manuscripts  may  be  sent  to  any  of  the  editors.  Subscriptions  and  all  other  communi¬ 
cations  should  be  sent  to  the  American  Journal  of  Anatomy,  Corner  of  Wolfe  and  Monument 
Streets,  Baltimore,  Md.,  U.  S.  A. 


